That decision, stating that the US officials "preliminarily determine that live swine from Canada are being, or are likely to be, sold in the United States at less than fair value" was officially published in the US Federal Register Wednesday, Oct. 20.
The preliminary duties, published in a Commerce Department announcement, have been set for three specific Canadian companies: Ontario Pork at 13.25%, Premium Pork at 15.01% and Hytek at a "de minimis" level, which means no duties will be charged. Another level for "all others" was set at 14.06%.
The Department of Commerce is scheduled to make its final determination on the case, brought to the US government agency by pork producers, March 7, 2005. If that final determination affirms Canadian exporters are dumping
live swine on the US market, the independent International Trade Commission will issue its own final determination on "whether imports of live swine are materially injuring, or threaten material injury to, the US swine industry."
Kara Flynn, spokeswoman for the National Pork Producers Council, representing US producers, said recently, "Canadian hog producers unfairly benefit from huge subsidies that cause overproduction in Canada and (the subsidies) allow the Canadian producers to sell their hogs in the US at artificially low prices. The flood of low-price hogs from Canada has inflicted severe financial hardship on US hog producers." (Dow Jones)
